


Little Moments

by Lady Angel (dameange)



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-06
Updated: 2010-09-06
Packaged: 2017-10-11 12:51:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/112610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dameange/pseuds/Lady%20Angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is literally no point to this. Merely images I wanted to write down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Moments

  
_Aaron groaned as the phone rang, curling away from the noise, hiding his face in the smooth curve of shoulder and the long strands of soft hair. The second ring was just as shrill, jerking both of them out of sleep. He spun, grabbing for it. "Yeah, JJ?"_

"Sorry to wake you, Hotch, but we've got an escalating killer on our hands in Los Angeles."

He kept his sigh near silent. "Have everyone meet at the plane."

"Yes, sir." She hung up, he flopped back, dropping the phone on the bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where are you going?" Hailey muttered over her shoulder at him.

"Los Angeles."

"How long will you be gone this time?" She still hadn't moved, still talked to him over her shoulder.

"I don't know." Hotchner dragged himself out of bed, casting uncertain looks at his wife. The curves of her body were tense as lines and just as unyielding.

"Don't forget to say goodbye to your son."

He nodded, knowing she wouldn't see it, shutting himself inside the bathroom. Emerging from it, he found Hailey still in bed, body still tense. He stopped by Jack's room, kissing and hugging his son goodbye. He left the still silent house, frown marring his face, the necessary mindset falling into place.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where are we going?"

"Los Angeles." He slumped against the bed, smiling as Reid turned over, doing his own bit of curling as he resettled himself against Hotchner's side.

His lover hummed. "How much time do we have?"

"Not much."

"M'kay." Reid moved with his usual morning slowness. It wouldn't go away until Reid had his first coffee. But even with all this mental inactivity, Reid always kissed Hotchner good morning before stumbling away to do his morning routine. Hotchner found it endearing as hell. He reluctantly left their warm bed, grabbing both of their go bags before joining Reid in the bathroom. The shower was just shutting off as he finished brushing his teeth. Reid stumbled out, shower pink all over, wet strands of hair tangled on his lips, and another absent minded but still sweet as hell kiss for Hotchner.

When Hotchner emerged from the bathroom, Reid was there with a coffee in a travel mug held out for him and sipping at his own. They left the house together, both already falling into the necessary work mindset.

~*~*~*~*~*~  
~*~*~*~*~*~

_Aaron was so nervous his hand was clenched tight around the steering wheel. The road lengthened and shortened with each passing minute, scenery flew by in a green and brown blur. He drove home without a coherent thought, utterly grateful for the silence in the car and the slim hand entwined in his own. Meeting the parents was always nerve-racking, especially when one was bringing home **the one**. He hoped to God they all liked each other._

~*~*~*~*~*~

His mother had loved Hailey had first sight. They spent nearly the entire visit together, laughing and cooking and giving him these glances that made him nervous as hell. His step-father and brother were of no help whatsoever, merely sitting back in their damn barcaloungers and enjoyed the show that was Hotchner's life. He was almost past caring that they were laughing at him because his mother glanced over at him with an approving twinkle in her eye.

~*~*~*~*~*~

His mother stared at Reid like he was a completely incomprehensible surprise. Neither bad nor good, her expression was completely blank. Sean and Amanda, thank God for his brother and his girlfriend, tried their damnest to ease the tension, Reid gamely playing along. Dinner was painful to say the least, saying that Hotchner was edgy was being overly generous. After dinner, his mother refused to be alone with anyone. She flitted about the house, cleaning and puttering and then graciously bid everyone goodnight. It was only eight in the evening. Amanda had given them an embarrassed but reassuring smile; Sean hugged him and whispered to give their mother time. Bless his brother, Sean shook Reid's hand and welcomed him to the family. Hotchner turned to apologize but Reid merely kissed him and told him it was okay.

~*~*~*~*~*~  
~*~*~*~*~*~

_Ahhhh, how things change . . . ._

~*~*~*~*~*~

Elizabeth Monroe née Hotchner could no longer stand the sight of her son's ex-wife. The woman she once welcomed with open arms, she now glared at with all of the scorn of a righteous mother. She hugged Jack and spoiled him shamelessly, especially if Hailey expressed disapproval for a particular item or fairly innocent behavior that was only mildly annoying like eating with his hands.

When Hailey dropped Jack off at her house, Elizabeth coldly smiled at the woman who cheated on her son and divorced him, instead of supporting him as he brought monsters to justice. "Hailey."

"Elizabeth." She handed over Jack's things. "I'll be back on Sunday."

Elizabeth closed the door without another word.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Elizabeth!"  
"Grandma!"  
"Mom!"

She grinned with absolute pleasure at three of her favorite men in one place. She hugged all three of them. She couldn't help herself, smoothing down Spencer's soft hair, glad to see his indulgent smile. Elizabeth knew she could never take Diana's place, but she also knew he appreciated her mothering nevertheless. She watched with amused befuddlement as Aaron took her bags, asking how she was and why she was here while Spencer and Jack ran around their home, cleaning up toys and papers and files. All the while the air was filled with Jack's excited chatter. Her son and grandson's home no longer looked like a showpiece from Home and Gardens. Instead, it looked lived in and loved: Jack's drawings littering the tables and fridge, photo after photo of family and team gatherings, and the detritus of Spencer's two English bulldogs whom she could hear barking from the backyard.

But the standout difference was her son's relaxed smile. No more tight, pasted on smiles, no more tired, drooping eyes. Instead, his eyes sparkled as he watched his lover and son scrambling to clean, Jack obviously getting in Spencer's away in the most hilarious ways, moving things Spencer had just put away.

She may not have understood it when Aaron brought Spencer home, but seeing her son and grandson so happy, she knew all she needed to know.

  
The End


End file.
